Govt won't act on sixth TV channel

The federal government has decided not to allow a fourth commercial free-to-air television network.

The decision came as Communications Minister Stephen Conroy on Friday unveiled the government's initial response to the Convergence Review, promising more changes to come in 2013.

Senator Conroy said no spectrum or broadcast licences will be made available to enable a fourth free-to-air television network.

But he said in the long-term the government would consider potential uses of the "sixth channel" as broadcasting and online technologies evolve.

The government will allow community TV to use the spectrum intended for the sixth channel until at least December 31, 2014.

The existing networks would benefit from an extension of their current rebate on broadcasting licence fees by a further 12 months, ahead of moving to reduce the fees permanently by 50 per cent, to a maximum of 4.5 per cent of revenue.

Senator Conroy also announced the government would seek parliament's approval to remove the restriction on a person controlling a network of commercial television stations that has an audience reach of greater than 75 per cent of the Australian population.

He said the removal of the so-called "75 per cent rule" would be subject to written undertakings about local content obligations in regional areas.

Changes will also be made to increase Australian content.

Commercial TV multichannel broadcasters will be required to show 730 hours of local content in 2013, increasing to 1095 hours in 2014 and to 1460 hours in 2015.

This includes an incentive for first-release drama by allowing an hour of first-release drama premiered on a digital multichannel to count for two hours under the transmission hours requirement for multichannels.

The 55 per cent Australian content quota for the commercial television broadcasters' primary channels will be retained.